General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport[3] (IATA: PIA[4], ICAO: KPIA, FAA LID: PIA) is a civil/military public airport five miles west of Peoria, in Peoria County, Illinois, United States.[2] It is on the northwest edge of Bartonville, near Bellevue. It is owned by the Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria,[2] which often refers to it as Peoria International Airport.[5] It was formerly the Greater Peoria Regional Airport.[6][7]
General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport | |||||||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
Owner/Operator | Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria | ||||||||||||||
Serves | Peoria, Illinois | ||||||||||||||
Location | Limestone Township, Peoria County | ||||||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 661 ft / 201 m | ||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 40°39′51″N 089°41′36″W | ||||||||||||||
Website | www.FlyPIA.com | ||||||||||||||
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![]() ![]() PIA Location in Illinois Show map of Illinois![]() ![]() PIA PIA (the United States) Show map of the United States | |||||||||||||||
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021 categorized it as a non-hub primary commercial service facility.[8] Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 312,378 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2017 and 328,769 in 2018.[9]
It is the fourth-busiest of the 12 commercial airports in Illinois.[10]
On May 19, 1932, the citizens of Peoria voted to have an airport. On 195 acres (0.8 km²), American Airways (now American Airlines) and Chicago and Southern Airlines brought in airmail and passenger service on four shale-surfaced runways. The land was purchased by 261 Peoria businessmen who formed the Peoria Airport, Inc.[11] It was turned over to the Peoria Park District in 1937, then to the newly formed Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria in 1950.
American Airlines and Chicago and Southern started flights to Peoria in 1945; C&S pulled out in 1949-50 and American left in 1962, then returned for a couple years starting in 1991. TWA served Peoria 1947 to 1960 and 1983 to 1991; Continental 1977 to 1983, United 1984 to 1995, Republic/Northwest 1986 to 1988, and Ozark from 1950 until it merged into TWA. Peoria's first jets were Ozark DC9s in 1966. A curious artifact of airline regulation: Peoria had never had nonstop flights beyond Chicago, but in 1969 Ozark was allowed a nonstop to New York La Guardia.
On April 25, 2007, the Greater Peoria Airport Authority announced a new nine-gate terminal will be built and the old terminal demolished. On October 10, 2008, the airport was renamed "General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport" during a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Ross Perot, a friend of the late Wayne A. Downing.[3] The new terminal, designed by Reynolds, Smith & Hills of Jacksonville, Florida and the Dewberry architecture firm of Peoria, and built by Turner Construction, opened on April 27, 2011.[12] As of August 24, 2012, the airport was in negotiations for international flights using a temporary customs facility.[13]
In 2016, the Ray Lahood International Arrivals Terminal was completed, with more gates, TSA services, and a US Customs Port of Entry facility.[14]
In December 2020, Delta Air Lines pulled all its flights from Peoria.[15]
Peoria International Airport covers 3,800 acres (1,538 ha) at an elevation of 661 feet (201 m). It has two runways: 13/31 is 10,104 by 150 feet (3,080 x 46 m) concrete; 4/22 is 8,004 by 150 feet (2,440 x 46 m) concrete.[2][16]
In 2021 the airport had an average 123 operations per day: 54% general aviation, 20% military, 14% commercial, and 11% air taxi.[17] In June 2018, 69 aircraft were based at this airport: 40 single-engine, 8 jet, 14 military, 3 helicopter, and 4 multi-engine.[2]
The airport is co-located with the Peoria Air National Guard Base, home to the 182d Airlift Wing (182 AW) of the Illinois Air National Guard. This Air National Guard unit is operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC) and consists of Lockheed C-130H Hercules aircraft. The airport is also home to the Illinois Army National Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility No. 3 and 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment, currently operating the Boeing CH-47 "Chinook" helicopter.
Airlines | Destinations | Refs |
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Allegiant Air | Fort Lauderdale,[18] Las Vegas, Orlando/Sanford, Phoenix/Mesa, Punta Gorda (FL), St. Petersburg/Clearwater Seasonal: Denver,[19] Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Nashville, Rapid City,[20] Sarasota | [21] |
American Eagle | Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth | [22] |
United Express | Chicago–O'Hare | [23] |
Destinations map |
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![]() ![]() Peoria ![]() Dallas/Fort Worth ![]() Las Vegas Destinations from General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport Red = Year-round destination Green = Seasonal destination Blue = Future destination |
Airlines | Destinations |
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UPS Airlines | Louisville, Rockford, Miami |
Carrier | Passengers (arriving and departing) |
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Allegiant | 187,000(50.36%) |
PSA | 56,750(15.31%) |
Mesa | 53,600(14.46%) |
Envoy Air | 39,300(10.60%) |
Republic | 16,490(4.45%) |
Other | 17,890(4.83%) |
Rank | City | Passengers | Airlines |
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1 | Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois | 31,540 | American, United |
2 | Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas | 31,410 | American |
3 | Charlotte, North Carolina | 29,190 | American |
4 | Phoenix–Mesa, Arizona | 21,230 | Allegiant |
5 | Punta Gorda/Ft. Myers, Florida | 21,140 | Allegiant |
6 | St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida | 18,380 | Allegiant |
7 | Las Vegas, Nevada | 12,450 | Allegiant |
8 | Orlando–Sanford, Florida | 10,250 | Allegiant |
9 | Denver, Colorado | 2,820 | Allegiant |
10 | Nashville, Tennessee | 2,610 | Allegiant |
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